


Confounded Contraptions

by more_than_words



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 19:12:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4678157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/more_than_words/pseuds/more_than_words
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this request/ask thing: Henry trying to teach Killian how to work a smartphone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confounded Contraptions

As soon as the bus dropped Henry off in the town square after school, he immediately headed for the police station. He loved being around Emma when she worked. She made him feel like he was in on the case, helping to solve crime. Plus, sometimes she got so busy, that she’d forget to tell him to do his homework.

Henry tugged open the doors to the station eagerly and walked in. He didn’t see Emma in her office, but he continued walking until he rounded the corner into the room with the two cells, hoping she’d be hard at work interrogating a prisoner. No Emma. However, he did see Hook seated at the small desk in the room, his back to him. Suddenly, he saw a slender, black object slide across the desk to the left, knocking over a cup of pens. Then, almost as if Killian were unconcerned that he had knocked over the cup, the pirate leaned over the black box expectantly.

“Blast,” he huffed, exasperated. 

“Hey, Killian,” Henry said slowly, trying to process what Killian was attempting to do. “Whatcha doin’?” The pirate swiveled in his chair, his look of frustration relaxing slightly when he saw the boy.

“Ah, Henry!” he greeted him warmly. He held up the black object in his hand as if in accusation. “This confounded contraption is a riddle box.” Henry looked at the source of the pirate’s frustration- it was the newest iPhone. Killian placed the phone back on the desk and stared at it contemptuously. 

“Emma gave it to me,” he explained. “She swears that it is a talking phone, but I can’t call her, much less unlock the damn thing.“ 

“Oh did you get the new upgrade?” the boy asked, excitedly. Henry shed his backpack and walked to the side of the desk to pick up the pens and pencils on the floor. Just as the boy prepared to bend down, the phone came flying recklessly off the edge of the desk with impressive speed.

“Woah!” Henry exclaimed, reaching to snatch the phone from the air before it smashed on to the floor. “What are you doing?!” Killian’s brow was knit together in frustration, his face dark. 

“It tells me ‘Slide to Unlock,’ but I have been sliding it for the past twenty minutes to no avail!” Killian ran a hand roughly through his hair, his mouth pressed into firm line. Henry fought back a smile. He always forgot that Hook was at about a 200 year technological disadvantage. It had taken the guy a solid week to figure out how to call Emma- she was his speed dial. So Henry knew he had to be patient with Killian, especially now that they were dealing with a smart phone.

“Here, let me show you,” Henry said. He held up the phone for Killian to observe his movements. “First you press the circular button.”

“Aye, I got that far.”

“Then,” Henry continued slowly. “You slide your finger on the screen like this.” The boy did so and the phone unlocked with a satisfying click, revealing an organized screen of multi-colored boxes. Killian’s face instantly went from dark with anger to bright with child-like wonderment.

“It responds to touch,” he marveled quietly, looking at with a new curiosity. He turned to Henry with a quizzical look. “Is it a miniature magic mirror.” Henry squinted and cocked his head to the side.

“Sort of,” he replied, placing the phone in Killian’s hands. “But we call it a touch screen.”

“What a stupid name,” Killian mumbled beneath his breath. He held the phone like he didn’t think he was worthy of it, like he was afraid to wield its power. He looked at it wide-eyed, terrified by his ignorance. Henry’s mouth twitched into a smile. The boy pulled up a chair close to the man petrified by the fear of the unknown.

“It won’t bite,” Henry said lightly, laughing as he sat down. “Here,” he removed the phone from Killian’s hands and placed it on the desk equidistant from both of them. “Let me help you.” Killian grinned.

“Indeed,” he agreed readily. “Some help would be much appreciated, lad.” Henry nodded.

“Let me check it out first,” he said. “I need to figure out some of the new, updated stuff.” Henry’s fingers flew across the screen at a speed unprecedented to Killian. It almost made the pirate dizzy just watching the screens shift from one to the other so quickly. So, Killian didn’t watch the phone- he watched Henry. He looked so much like his mother when he was focused. He had the same determination in his eyes. And he had a good heart to help a confused pirate. A heart not unlike his father’s (or his mother’s, for that matter). Killian smiled slightly at all the good memories brought together in this one boy.

“Alright,” Henry said finally, looking back at Killian. “You ready?” The pirate smirked.

“I’m always up for an adventure.” Henry grinned.

“Okay, let’s start by programming Siri." 

"Who’s Siri?”

“Uh, she’s kind of the voice of your phone. You can ask her to do math for you, set reminders, tell you what the weather is… pretty much whatever you want!” Killian looked at Henry warily.

“And you’re sure this is not a magic mirror?” he asked slowly. Henry smiled and nodded.

“Positive.”


End file.
